Devices to assist in the loading of particulate matter into bags, sacks, or the like have been known in the art for many years. Common uses for such devices have included the bagging of grain or granuled grains from bulk lots to sacks for processing or transporting selected, relatively small quantities. Such devices have been variously referred to as bag holders, loaders, fillers, and scoops, depending upon the function or combination of functions which the particular device is designed to perform.
Many early loading devices of this general type were concerned only with providing a holding device on which a bag or sack could be mounted in such a manner that the mouth or opening would be maintained in an extended or open position to receive particulate matter. In essence, these devices contemplated a holding device operable by a person to position a bag or sack for receiving particulate matter which is gathered and loaded by another person employing a shovel, scoop, or similar implement. In some instances, these devices were provided with projecting handles to facilitate manual gripping and with some type of hooks or other retainers for temporarily holding or suspending a bag or sack.
Another type of bag loading device was directed toward providing for operation by a single person rather than the two people normally required with the conventional bag holding devices. These devices took the approach of combining a bag holding device with a scoop or shovel which could be manipulated by one person to gather and direct particulate matter into a bag or sack mounted on the device. These devices commonly had a portion of the structure shaped like a scoop or shovel or, in some instances, had an attached scoop or shovel which could be manipulated to gather and retain a quantity of particulate matter and transfer it to a suspended sack or bag. Normally, projecting handles were positioned at two or more locations on the device to facilitate its manipulation for the gathering and bagging functions of particulate matter.
In the instance of either the bag holding devices or the combined scooping and holding devices, various intricate mechanisms were introduced to endeavor to provide for temporary attachment of a bag or sack in a manner which would support relatively heavy particulate matter while providing for the possibility of quick release of a filled bag and the attachment of an empty bag to permit a substantially continuous bagging operation. In this respect, various types of hooks, clamping rings, and other devices have been employed; however, most of these devices which operate effectively have been relatively complex and/or difficult to manipulate while holding a bag in position on the loading device.
Most of the bag loading devices of the types discussed above are necessarily of a sufficient size such that they are somewhat bulky and relatively difficult to store or transport. For the most part, little attention has apparently been given to providing a bag loading device which is operationally effective but is capable of being readily collapsed or dismantled to facilitate storage or transport. Thus, no reliable, effective, collapsible bag loading device has appeared on the market which provides a combination of the desirable features for a bag loading device of this type.